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Sat.1's New Soap 'Frieda' Opens to Weak Ratings

Low early linear viewership has put the 162-episode daily at risk of a quick rethink for Sat.1's troubled 18:00 slot.

Overview

  • The series was made available on Joyn from May 29 and launched on Sat.1 as weekday double episodes starting June 1 with all 162 episodes completed before broadcast.
  • Audience measurement reported about 370,000 viewers for the first two episodes and market shares of roughly 3.2 and 2.5 percent in the 14–49 demographic, using AGF SCOPE figures.
  • Early reviews and commentary described the show as formulaic and underwhelming, with critics saying its plot and dialogue follow familiar daily-soap patterns.
  • Producers emphasized regional scenery, subtitles and audio description for accessibility, and cast members received practical firefighter training to boost on-screen authenticity; much filming took place near Berlin despite the Sächsische Schweiz setting.
  • The launch heightens stakes for cast and makers because Sat.1 has recently cancelled low-performing early-evening dailies quickly, so continued low ratings could lead to fast schedule changes and affect the actors' long-term exposure.